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dealnews' Favorite Free iPhone 3G Apps

Published September 2, 2008

With over 1,000 applications ready for download, the iTunes App Store is perhaps the iPhone's biggest feature. But before you spend a small fortune downloading apps, we've sampled a few free apps that are worth your time.

I've never been much of a Twitter user, but I've found Twinkle to be awesome. Not only does it integrate with Twitter and let you post tweets from anywhere without having to load up a website, but it uses its own network simultaneously that lets you see postings by users within a certain radius of you (50 miles by default). It also lets you post pictures directly from your phone, which is really handy at times. — Daniel Hendley

WeDict is great for having a quick dictionary at your fingertips without having to wait for a website to load, which can be tedious, especially if you're on AT&T's EDGE network. It's really surprising how often a dictionary can be useful, and it offers suggestions as you type in case you're not quite sure how to spell something. (Note: The developer's homepage is in Mandarin.) — DH

From the outset, Brain Tuner may seem like a poor man's Brain Age, and to a certain extent it is. This game presents you with a series of basic math questions and asks you to choose which ones are right and wrong. You can choose to play either 20 or 100 questions and each time you play your time and accuracy is recorded. Unfortunately, my math skills haven't improved since downloading the game, but at least my commute feels shorter. — Louis Ramirez

Light is another much-used app I turn on when I'm walking through part of the house or outside when it's dark and need a little extra light on my path. It just recently got an update that lets you choose a few different colors and light patterns which is a nice touch, but what I really like is that it now increases the brightness when you run it, so the light is more useful if you have a lower brightness setting used by default. Then once you close it, it puts it back to what you were using. — DH

I never bought an AppleTV because I didn't think it was really a great idea, but this for some reason has me seriously considering getting one just so I'll have a better excuse to use it. Or, at the very least, hooking up a good sound system to my Mac Pro to play music while I'm not sitting directly at my desk. I have no real need for this app, but its cool factor makes me want to use it. — DH

While a lot of people won't like this for its stalker aspect, it can be incredibly handy for keeping up with friends or even organizing a get-together among several people. You can name a place on the map and people can click it and get directions in Google Maps. Of course, this is more useful on the iPhone 3G where you have real GPS. I'm not crazy about loopt using text messages to alert you of stuff, but you can disable that and maybe this month's update will offer push alerts instead. The only thing I don't really care for is that it shows just how few friends you may really have. And if you don't have more than a few people using it with you, then it loses its appeal. — DH

Labyrinth Lite is a digital remake of the old plastic maze games from my childhood, where you had to tilt and maneuver a small, metallic ball across a series of walls and dead ends until it reached the center. If you remember those games, then you'll love Labyrinth Lite. The difference is that instead of tilting a plastic apparatus, you're now maneuvering a digital ball by tilting your iPhone. The controls for this game are very responsive and do a great job of showing off the iPhone's accelerometer. The game gets more challenging as the levels increase with barriers, traps, and other contraptions designed to throw you off course. Plus, you also have the option of playing against a timer. — LR

Though it's gone through various name changes since it's initial release, Now Playing (formerly BoxOffice) is a handy app for movie fans on the go. It lets you locate theaters, showtimes, and even purchase tickets for currently-playing movies. Especially handy is its ability to check ratings and reviews from RottenTomatoes and Metacritic. The app can lag at times and it's only useful if you have a Wi-Fi/EDGE/3G connection, but when you need to find the nearest theater showing Dark Knight, it's indispensable. — LR

Like it's name implies, Cannon Challenge is a simple tank game that requires you to shoot a number of stationary targets. You don't move your tank around, but instead control the height of its barrel as well as the velocity of each shot, shooting over chasms and mountains. The game's graphics are crisp and detailed although the game itself can get repetitive after a few levels. Nevertheless, it's a great way to waste time when you're waiting in line and have grown tired or your playlists. — LR

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